Here's How Fast Food And Exercise Habits Vary Around America

Kevin Loria, provided by

Published 12:05 pm, Saturday, April 12, 2014

People in the South and Midwest consume fast food more frequently than people anywhere else in the country — with Oklahomans opting for Big Macs, Whoppers, and the like more often than residents of any other state, more than one to two days per week.

In Vermont, the state most averse to fast food, residents were much more likely to never choose a fast food option.

Meanwhile, Hawaiians exercise more frequently than residents of any other U.S. state, with most residents working out almost three to four times a week. Nice weather might help explain that, but Alaskans come in second for workout frequency — eliminating the cold as an excuse for skipping workouts. (Thanks, Alaska.)

In West Virginia, the low performer for the nation, the average resident is more likely to exercise once or twice a week.

Some of these numbers are very close — between one to two and three to four days a week — but that's because when getting the average, the numbers may not be hugely different far apart. But within those numbers, there are still comparisons that reveal regional differences.

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The data for these maps come from the DNA analysis service 23andMe. The genetic information provider examined more than 1500 different characteristics, ranging from fast food consumption to pet ownership, to help illustrate the way that personality, health, and behavior differ across the United States.

Their information was all tied to geographic locations, so 23andMe researcher and statistics blogger Emma Pierson created a series of visualizations that illustrate some of the differences around the country. As you can see above, the places where people exercise more frequently tend to be places that consume less fast food.

Pierson also created interactive visualizations that allow for more detailed state-by-state comparisons of how frequently people eat fast food or exercise.

You can check out some more of the results they found on 23andMe's blog.